In a big relief for students, who have got admissions in foreign universities, the state government has decided to vaccinate them against Covid-19 on a priority basis from Tuesday.
In an official communication, Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said that the students from Karnataka, who have secured admission in universities abroad, will be vaccinated on priority.
The students will be given Covishield vaccine and even the gap between the two doses will be six weeks, he added.
This applies even to those who want to travel to other countries for work/employment reasons.
The National Health Mission has issued a revised list of preferential groups for vaccination by adding four more groups which include students travelling to foreign countries for higher education and employment. This revised group also includes the workers of milk cooperative societies and cable operators.
“As many students have got admissions at foreign universities and plan to travel early in July, we have decided to reduce the gap between two doses of Covishield,” Ashwath Narayan said in the press release.
The gap between the two doses will be not less than six weeks. The central government has extended the gap between two doses to 12 to 16 weeks for other citizens.
The vaccination campaign for students travelling to foreign countries will begin at Bengaluru City University (BCU) in Bengaluru around 3 pm on Tuesday (June 1) at the administrative block.
The chief commissioner of BBMP as well as deputy commissioners of all districts have been asked to issue the necessary certificates to students going to foreign countries for studies as well as work purpose.